Bravo’s Real Housewife Alex McCord Explains Nude Pics

Just when you thought The Real Housewives of New York City reality stars Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen crossed the boundaries of good taste, memorably frolicking in his-and-hers thongs on the beach in St. Barts in an episode of the show, nude photos of Alex mysteriously hit the Internet.

“I did the photos after the birth of our second son,” Alex told PEOPLE.com Thursday at the Conde Nast Traveler Hot List party at Mansion. “I was shocked at how quickly my body came back. I just sort of thought, ‘Wow!’ At that time I had the opportunity to meet a lot of photographers. And there were a couple of who asked me to work on… projects.”

As for how she appears in some less-than-artful post-maternity poses, Alex says, “I’m not sure exactly how that happened. It’s a non-issue. I’m one of a billion out there who has nude photos of themselves. So what.”

It’s that non-apologetic attitude – and the couple’s social airs (on the show, the couple insist their son Francois order his lemonade in French at a French restaurant… in Brooklyn, New York)–that seems to rankle viewers about the pair.

But Simon says, “There is no point running and hiding.” “In the day of the Internet, if it’s on one web site, it’s on 100, so own it. Embrace it.” –Jeffrey Slonim